Anti-Circumvention Feature for Security of Wireless Finding Device

Abstract

The technology generally relates to preventing unwanted tracking using wireless finding devices. For example, wireless finding devices may contain one or more protection features to prevent improper use or unwanted tracking. The wireless finding device may monitor the voltage and current waveforms applied at and/or to the notification mechanism to determine if the notification mechanism has been tampered with. If the wireless finding device determines that the notification mechanism has been tampered with, the wireless finding device may activate a protection feature inhibiting tracking of the wireless finding device. For example, in response to determining the output device has been tampered with and/or failed, the wireless finding device may disable or degrade tracking. Disabling and/or degrading the tracking of the wireless finding device may prevent unwanted tracking.

1 . A wireless finding device comprising:
 a notification mechanism;   a battery; and   one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to:
 detect at least one of a voltage applied by the battery to the notification mechanism or a current flowing through the notification mechanism from the battery; 
 compare the detected voltage or current to an expected voltage or current associated with proper functioning of the notification mechanism; and 
 activate, based on a variation between the detected voltage or current and the expected voltage or current, a protection feature inhibiting tracking of the wireless finding device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless finding device of  claim 1 , wherein the protection features includes disabling tracking of the wireless finding device or degrading tracking performance of the wireless finding device. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless finding device of  claim 1 , further comprising a communications interface adapted for direct or indirect communication with a host device, wherein in response to activating the protection feature, the communications interface is configured to transmit a notification to the host device. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless finding device of  claim 3 , wherein the notification is an alert that the notification mechanism has been removed, damaged, disconnected, plugged, or occluded. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless finding device of  claim 3 , wherein after transmitting the notification, a tracking status of the wireless finding device cannot be changed. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless finding device of  claim 3 , wherein in response to activating the protection feature, the communications interface is further configured to transmit a request for information to re-enable tracking. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless finding device of  claim 1 , wherein the notification mechanism is at least one of a speaker, a light, a piezoelectric buzzer, haptics actuator, or a magnetic buzzer. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless finding device of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to store an expected voltage or current waveform associated with the proper functioning of the notification mechanism,
 wherein comparing the detected voltage or current to the expected voltage or current includes comparing at least one of a shape or amplitude of a detected voltage or current waveform to the expected voltage or current waveform.   
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 detecting, by one or more processors, at least one of a voltage applied by a battery to a notification mechanism in a wireless finding device or a current flowing through the notification mechanism in the wireless finding device from the battery;   comparing, by the one or more processors, the detected voltage or current to an expected voltage or current associated with proper functioning of the notification mechanism; and   activating, by the one or more processors based on a variation between the detected voltage or current and the expected voltage or current, a protection feature inhibiting tracking of the wireless finding device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protection features includes disabling tracking of the wireless finding device or degrading tracking performance of the wireless finding device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, by the one or more processors in response to activating the protection feature, a notification. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the notification is an alert that the notification mechanism has been removed, damaged, disconnected, plugged, or occluded. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein after transmitting the notification, a tracking status of the wireless finding device cannot be changed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, by the one or more processors in response to activating the protection feature, a request for information to re-enable tracking. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the notification mechanism is at least one of a speaker, a light, a piezoelectric buzzer, haptics actuator, or a magnetic buzzer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory of the wireless finding device, an expected voltage or current waveform associated with the proper functioning of the notification mechanism,   wherein when comparing the detected voltage or current to the expected voltage or current, the method further includes comparing, by the one or more processors, at least one of a shape or amplitude of a detected voltage or current waveform to the expected voltage or current waveform.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 detect at least one of a voltage applied by a battery to a notification mechanism of a wireless finding device or a current flowing through the notification mechanism of the wireless finding device from the battery;   compare the detected voltage or current to an expected voltage or current associated with proper functioning of the notification mechanism; and   activate, based on a variation between the detected voltage or current and the expected voltage or current, a protection feature inhibiting tracking of the wireless finding device.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the protection feature includes disabling tracking of the wireless finding device or degrading tracking performance of the wireless finding device. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein in response to activating the protection feature, the one or more processors are further configured to transmit a notification to a host device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the notification is an alert that the notification mechanism has been removed, disconnected, plugged, or occluded.